Hello. I'm new around here so please be gentle. 
I have a 2002 Corvette Std 4-string. Owned since new but not played for quite a long time whilst I was busy being a Landscape Photographer here in the UK. Decided to pick it up again and learn how to set it up properly myself.
I'm going down from 45-65-85-105 to D'Addario balanced tension 40-55-70-95. Lighter works better for me.
I'm happy with truss rod and nut adjustment, and I understand the various bridge adjustments, but I can't find anything anywhere about best practice for bridge setup.
I know the relative saddle heights should be set to follow the radius of the neck. This makes sense.
What I would like to know is the factory best practice for bridge height vs saddle height. So for example, do you set the bridge as low as it will go and then adjust the saddle heights, or perhaps you adjust the E and G saddle heights as low as possible, set the A and D saddles higher for the radius, then adjust the bridge for overall height.
It's the best practice for the interaction between bridge height and saddle height that I would like to understand. Is there an optimum height for the bridge in terms of stability perhaps?
Low bridge with high saddles? High bridge with low saddles? Something in the middle. Are there advantages/disadvantages to these approaches? I can't do an optimum setup until I understand this and it's making my head hurt now.
Anyway I've searched the entire Interweb including YouTube and I've not found an answer yet. Hoping someone here can enlighten me.
Richie
I have a 2002 Corvette Std 4-string. Owned since new but not played for quite a long time whilst I was busy being a Landscape Photographer here in the UK. Decided to pick it up again and learn how to set it up properly myself.I'm going down from 45-65-85-105 to D'Addario balanced tension 40-55-70-95. Lighter works better for me.
I'm happy with truss rod and nut adjustment, and I understand the various bridge adjustments, but I can't find anything anywhere about best practice for bridge setup.
I know the relative saddle heights should be set to follow the radius of the neck. This makes sense.
What I would like to know is the factory best practice for bridge height vs saddle height. So for example, do you set the bridge as low as it will go and then adjust the saddle heights, or perhaps you adjust the E and G saddle heights as low as possible, set the A and D saddles higher for the radius, then adjust the bridge for overall height.
It's the best practice for the interaction between bridge height and saddle height that I would like to understand. Is there an optimum height for the bridge in terms of stability perhaps?
Low bridge with high saddles? High bridge with low saddles? Something in the middle. Are there advantages/disadvantages to these approaches? I can't do an optimum setup until I understand this and it's making my head hurt now.
Anyway I've searched the entire Interweb including YouTube and I've not found an answer yet. Hoping someone here can enlighten me.
Richie
